Integrated monolithic microfabricated dispensing nozzle and liquid chromatography-electrospray system and method
First Claim
1. An electrospray device comprising:
- a substrate having an injection surface and an ejection surface opposing the injection surface, wherein the substrate is an integral monolith comprising;
an entrance orifice on the injection surface;
an exit orifice on the ejection surface;
a channel extending between the entrance orifice and the exit orifice;
a recess extending into the ejection surface and surrounding the exit orifice, thereby defining a nozzle on the ejection surface; and
a voltage application system consisting essentially of;
a first electrode attached to said substrate to impart a first potential to said substrate and a second electrode to impart a second potential, wherein the first and the second electrodes are positioned to define an electric field surrounding the exit orifice.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A droplet/electrospray device and a liquid chromatography-electrospray system are disclosed. The droplet/electrospray device comprises a substrate defining a channel between an entrance orifice on an injection surface and an exit orifice on an ejection surface, a nozzle defined by a portion recessed from the ejection surface surrounding the exit orifice, and an electrode for application of an electric potential to the substrate to optimize and generate droplets or an electrospray. A plurality of these electrospray devices can be used in the form of an array of miniaturized nozzles. The liquid chromatography-electrospray device comprises a separation substrate defining an introduction channel between an entrance orifice and a reservoir and a separation channel between the reservoir and an exit orifice, the separation channel being populated with separation posts perpendicular to the fluid flow. A cover substrate is bonded to the separation substrate to enclose the reservoir and the separation channel adjacent the cover substrate. The exit orifice of the liquid chromatography device is homogeneously interfaced with the entrance orifice of the electrospray device to form an integrated single system. Procedures for fabrication of the electrospray devices of the present invention are also disclosed.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. An electrospray device comprising:
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a substrate having an injection surface and an ejection surface opposing the injection surface, wherein the substrate is an integral monolith comprising;
an entrance orifice on the injection surface;
an exit orifice on the ejection surface;
a channel extending between the entrance orifice and the exit orifice;
a recess extending into the ejection surface and surrounding the exit orifice, thereby defining a nozzle on the ejection surface; and
a voltage application system consisting essentially of;
a first electrode attached to said substrate to impart a first potential to said substrate and a second electrode to impart a second potential, wherein the first and the second electrodes are positioned to define an electric field surrounding the exit orifice. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An electrospray device comprising:
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a capillary tube having a passage for conducting fluids through the capillary tube and connecting an entrance orifice and an exit orifice;
a first electrode circumscribing the capillary tube proximate the exit orifice; and
a second electrode to impart a second potential, wherein the first and the second electrodes are positioned to define an electric field surrounding the exit orifice. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A system for processing droplets/sprays of fluid comprising:
an electrospray device comprising;
a substrate having an injection surface and an ejection surface opposing the injection surface, wherein the substrate comprises;
an entrance orifice on the injection surface;
an exit orifice on the ejection surface;
a channel extending between the entrance orifice and the exit orifice; and
a recess extending into the ejection surface and surrounding the exit orifice; and
a device to provide fluid to the electrospray device comprising;
a fluid passage;
a fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the fluid passage;
a fluid inlet to direct fluid entering the device into the fluid reservoir; and
a fluid outlet to direct fluid from the fluid passage to the entrance orifice of said electrospray device, wherein the cross-sectional area of the entrance orifice of said electrospray device is equal to or less than the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage.
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46. A method of producing an electrospray device comprising:
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providing a substrate having opposed first and second surfaces, each coated with a photoresist;
exposing the photoresist on the first surface to an image to form a pattern in the form of a spot on the first surface;
removing the photoresist on the first surface where the pattern is in the form of a hole in the photoresist;
removing material from the substrate coincident with the hole in the photoresist on the first surface to form a channel extending through the photoresist on the first surface and through the substrate up to the photoresist on the second surface;
exposing the photoresist on the second surface to an image to form an annular pattern circumscribing an extension of the channel through the photoresist on the second surface;
removing the photoresist on the second surface where the annular pattern is;
removing material from the substrate coincident with where the pattern in the phototresist on the second surface has been removed to form an annular recess extending partially into the the substrate; and
removing all coatings from the firsthand second surfaces of the substrate to form the electrospray device. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A method of producing an electrospray device comprising:
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providing a substrate having opposed first and second surfaces, each coated with a photoresist;
exposing the photoresist on the first surface to an image to form a pattern in the form of at least 3 substantially aligned spots on the first surface;
removing the photoresist on the first surface where the pattern is in the form of 3 holes in the photoresist corresponding to where the spots in the photoresist were;
removing material from the substrate coincident with where the pattern in the photoresist on the first surface has been removed to form a central channel aligned with and between two outer channels, said channels extending through the photoresist on the first surface and into the substrate, wherein the central channel has a diameter which is less than that of the outer channels such that the central channel extends farther from the second surface of the substrate than the outer channels which extend up to the photoresist on the the second surface;
exposing the photoresist on the second surface to an image which forms an annular pattern circumscribing a spot, wherein the spot is coincident with an extension of the central channel through the photoresist on the second surface and a portion of the substrate;
removing the photoresist on the second surface where the annular pattern circumscribing the spot is;
removing material from the substrate coincident with where the pattern in the phototresist on the second surface has been removed to form an annular recess extending partially into the substrate which circumscribes the central channel which extends through the substrate and the photoresist on the first and second surfaces;
removing all coatings from the first and second surfaces of the substrate; and
coating all surfaces of the substrate with an insulating material to form the electrospray device. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. A method of forming a liquid separation device comprising:
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providing a substrate having opposed first and second surfaces, each coated with a photoresist;
exposing the photoresist on the first surface to an image to form a pattern in the form of a plurality of spots on the first surface;
removing the photoresist on the first surface where the pattern is in the form of a plurality of holes in the photoresist corresponding to where the spots in the photoresist were;
removing material from the substrate coincident with where the pattern in the photoresist on the first surface has been removed to form a large reservoir proximate a first end of the substrate and a plurality of smaller holes closer to a second opposite end of the substrate than the reservoir, said reservoir and holes extending through the photoresist on the first surface and partially into the substrate;
filling the smaller holes and surfaces of the reservoir with a coating;
applying a further photoresist layer over the coating on the surfaces of the reservoir, the filled holes, and the photoresist on the first surface;
exposing the further photoresist to an image to form a pattern in the form of spots, with one spot coincident with what was part of the reservoir and the other spot being closer to the second end of the substrate than the filled holes;
removing the further photoresist where the pattern is to form holes corresponding to where the spots in the photoresist were;
removing material from the substrate coincident with where the pattern in the further photoresist has been removed to form a pair of channels, with a first channel extending through what was the reservoir up to the photoresist on the second surface and a second channel extending through the substrate up to the photoresist on the second surface at a location closer to the second end of the substrate than the filled holes; and
removing all coatings from the first and second surfaces of the substrate; and
coating all surfaces of the substrate with an insulating material to form the liquid separation device. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification